Grief
by Sepha Fanfics
Summary: A darker take on Majora's Mask. He stepped into Clock Town, and saw denial. He traveled and found anger at the Deku Palace. He made a bargain in Snowpeak. Depression was written all over Lulu's face in the Great Bay. Acceptance was fresh among the dead in Ikana. But, it all reset after a measly 72 hours, and it all began anew. This was Termina. This was the cycle of grief.
1. Prologue

**I'm back, people! I'm alive! This is my own take on the Majora's Mask game, so expect some changes.**

**Prologue**

* * *

Link had been wandering through the Lost Woods for what had seemed like years, but in truth, it was only months. Months of seeing trees, trees, and more trees.

He shook his shoulders, adjusting the scabbard and shield binded to his back. His blue eyes focused on what was ahead: a cave that showed nothing but darkness. Was it a path that led somewhere new, or was it a place he had already visited?

Link didn't know, for everything looked the same here. The only difference would be the amount of sunlight filtering through the thick leaves of the canopy and above.

He then heard his red Clydesdale horse, Epona, snort. He had to smile, and pet her reassuringly. No words were needed.

It's alright; we'll find her. We'll find Navi, I'm sure.

The guardian fairy had left Link after he sealed Ganondorf in the distant future. Looking back, he found the battle pointless. Why fight something that was never going to happen anyway? It was idiotic.

He began tracing faint memories of his travels with Navi; she may have been a bit annoying at some points, but that annoying "Watch out!" occasionally saved his butt.

Link brushed aside some of the dirty blond hair sticking out of his floppy green cap. His physical attention turned to where the sky would be if the trees didn't exist, but his mental attention moved to other memories.

He remember when he left Hyrule. The place that would remain in peace because of his warning. His hand automatically moved to the brown leather bag he had. It reached inside, and ran a finger across the object.

The Ocarina of Time.

There were two songs he knew how to play; Epona's favorite song, and the Song of Time. He wasn't quite sure what to do with the latter, but Princess Zelda had taught it to him, giving him a reason to cherish the melody.

His absentminded traveling was suddenly interrupted by the sound of rustling leaves. He became alert, and his eyes darted left and right. His left hand slowly moved to the handle of the sword in his scabbard.

Moments passed, and nothing happened. Link gently kicked the heels of his boots on Epona's side, and she slowly moved forward.

It was subtle, but just barely out of time with the clopping of the horse's hooves came the sound of fluttering wings. A fairy's wings.

Link perked up, and he wildly began looking around. Could it be her? Could he really have found—

Epona suddenly jumped, neighing loudly. This took Link by surprise, and he fell off, hitting the ground painfully. His vision went slightly hazy and he couldn't really move, but he was definitely able to hear.

He heard voices, two boys and a girl.

"Heh! We got 'im good, didn't we, Tatl?" one of the males said, and a low chiming sound followed.

"Sure did, Tael!" the female one said, and a higher pitched chiming rang.

"Great work, you guys!" the last one said, sounding childishly mid-pitched. "Let's check for loot!"

Link felt his body kicked over, and thick, rugged hands began groping around in his bag. They soon retreated.

"Oooh! What a pretty flute!" the child's voice said eagerly, and experimental notes were heard. The child nearly cackled with delight.

Link got up, some of his strength returning. He shook his head, still a bit groggy from the fall. He looked at the people who'd caused it.

A dark purple fairy, a light yellow fairy, and a Skull Kid. They were the ones who did that to him? Link was a bit dumbfounded, but he stood up. The Skull Kid's back was to him, and the child was still playing with the Ocarina of Time.

The two fairies, panicking, chimed in perfect unison, and Skull Kid slowly turned around in realization.

He wore a strange purple mask that had glowing yellow eyes that seemed filled with bloodlust. The image seemingly shifted, but Link barely noticed.

The Skull Kid stowed the ocarina behind his back, trying to play it off. Link, angered, tried to grab him, but the imp simply leaped over him with a cackle.

He landed on Epona, and rode her into the dark tunnel from before. The fairies made teasing chimes at the young Hylian, and flew off with Skull Kid.

Link clenched his teeth. He had to get his horse and ocarina back. So he dashed into the tunnel after the thief.

It revealed a platform system he'd never seen before. It didn't occur how Skull Kid was able to get Epona to leap them, but it didn't matter. He jumped them with ease, and sprinted down the flat path.

He ran so fast, he didn't see the gigantic black pit before him. He slipped, and fell a long way down.

Suddenly, he heard a snapping sound, and he blacked out.

* * *

**Didja like it?**


	2. Chapter 1

******Chapter 1**

* * *

Link blinked slowly, vision still blurry. He had fallen a long way, and fainted sometime down the way. He could've sworn he'd broken his neck, but when he touched the back of it, it seemed completely intact.

He looked at where he was sitting: a large pink flower of some sort. He heard the cackling of the Skull Kid. The child had his arms crossed while floating in the air. The two fairies were also there, encircling him with half a mind.

"What's with that horse of yours? It doesn't listen to a single thing I say," he said, expression hidden by the strange mask. Link stood up, hand on his sword.

Skull Kid sighed, shaking his head. "Your form disgusts me. How about something cuter? I like cute."

The fairies chimed in agreement, and Link could imagine the three smiling. The mask began shaking violently, and a queasy feeling struck Link in his head. He struggled to stay on his feet, but his vision went black again.

* * *

Deku Shrubs all around him. They were crowding around Link, their beady eyes contorted into a glare. Link saw nothing but a sea of autumn leaves around him, and he broke away from it.

He ran and ran, hands covering his ears. The loud sound of rustling leaves couldn't leave his head, and it was pointless. He then got swallowed up in a giant Deku Shrub's gaping mouth.

* * *

Was the Skull Kid taller than before? The ground was also closer, and the ceiling further. The young boy in green then saw his reflection in rippling water.

A round wooden head too large for the body, endearing yet sad red eyes, and a black hole for a mouth. He was wearing his cap, which stretched to the floor, giant brown shoes, and green shorts. Link was a Deku Shrub.

He screamed at least three octaves higher, brown gloved hands on his seemingly carved face. The Skull Kid doubled over in joyous laughter.

"That's much better!" he said, and began floating to the door behind him. It opened automatically as he neared it.

Link, thinking quickly, dashed for him, hoping to catch the villain. But the yellow fairy then rammed him in the head, causing his clumsy (and adorable) new form to fall on its read end.

"S-Sis!" the dark purple fairy suddenly called out, and the door shut tightly.

The yellow fairy whirled around, and chimed in shock. "Tael!"

She rushed at the door, trying to push it open, but her physical strength wasn't enough. She sighed sadly.

"Tael…" she whispered.

Link stood up, and brushed himself off. He was a bit surprised at the little time it took to get used to this form. Then again, he was able to move around while being twice as tall once.

The fairy then dashed up to him. "You! It's your fault I got separated from my brother!"

If Deku Shrubs had eyebrows, Link arched one of them in a "really?" manner. The fairy chimed angrily, and began muttering to herself.

Link thought about what his new form would be able to do. He exhaled sharply out of his misshapen circle mouth, and a small bubble emerged.

He then blew harder, and trapped the fairy in one of these bubbles.

"H-hey!" she protested.

Link gently held the bubble in front of him, and looked at her questioningly. His expression said, "Where did they put my stuff?"

"I-I dunno what Skull Kid did with your stuff," she answered, hastily turning away.

His grip popped the bubble dangerously, and then simply held the fairy oddly tightly. His once curious expression contorted into a death glare. The fairy began to panic; this kid could crush her, even with his puny new form.

"I-I can t-take you to him so you c-can a-ask! J-just open the door, p-please!" she exclaimed, "I'm really sorry!"

Deku Link let her go, and she sighed in relief. He extended his arm as if to shake hands. The fairy tapped it quickly with her wing and backed off.

"I-I'm Tatl," she quavered.

Deku Link drew his name on the dirt with a surprisingly flexible wooden finger. Tatl read it.

"Link, huh?" she said, chiming thoughtfully, "Nice name."

Deku Link didn't respond in any way; he merely walked to the door, and lifted it from the bottom with ease. Tatl jingled in amazement.

He walked down the curvaceous hall, beckoning her to follow with a finger. She slowly glided to his side, the memory of his crushing grip still fresh.

"U-uh, say, c-can we f-forget about ear-earlier?" she stuttered, trailing far behind him.

Deku Link instantly swirled around like a ballerina, provoking some fear in Tatl. He then nodded, and continued advancing down the path.

They then came to a dead end, a pink flower sitting quietly in the grass. There were multiple pillars of land sticking out of a bottomless abyss, and at this end was another door. Tatl sighed; she could simply fly there, but she needed Deku Link's strength to open it. She looked at the small boy helplessly.

He didn't notice her, as he was analyzing the path with great intelligence. He had to fly over there, or at least be able to reach the pillars. He looked down at the pink flower, then saw that there were the same things on each pillar.

He stepped onto one, and jumped lowly. He then remembered when he swirled to nod at Tatl. It was like he was drilling into the ground. His sad and droopy red eyes realized the flower could possibly be burrowed into.

He swirled around, and the theory proved true. The flower spat him out, and he held out two pink ones that allowed him to glide toward the nearest pillar.

"Wow…" Tatl commented, "That's really something…"

Deku Link found out that the "flower wings" didn't last forever, as they broke just before he could fall in front of the pillar and into darkness. He didn't dare dream of what would happen if he fell… Just the thought made him shiver.

His new flower burrowing technique led him to the opposite side of the abyss, where a door and a strange sprout were.

It was like some misshapen tree, yet resembled Link's current form to some extent.

"Poor thing…" Tatl whispered pitifully, soaring by, "Let's get going."

Deku Link lifted the door, walked through, and took one last look at the tree. He watched the door close like a curtain on it, almost like in a play, how one act ends, and another begins.

The boy pushed aside his mixed feelings of pity and regret, and faced a dark path with a light at the end. He ran as fast as he could towards this light, and he felt himself flipping and twisting around, like reality was bending him to its will.

But that subsided, and he was met with the turning gears of a giant clock.

There were gears everywhere he looked, ticking in sync in a strangely ominous way.

Deku Link took the only path up, as he felt the door shut permanently behind him. He passed over a bridge, and then up some steps. He made his way past the large organ, and to the double doors leaking out sunlight.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind him. Footsteps that Carrie something heavy, something dark… something evil.

Link heard eight words that he was sure to never forget. Eight words that sent a number of chills down his wooden spine.

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"


End file.
